October has just started and I had to spend some time thinking about what this month will look like in terms of work (roughly). If I’ve learned anything from my years in this business, it’s that one needs to be organized. Fortunately, my natural thinking process involves putting everything into lists under various headings and then looking at those items and breaking them down day by day. Some stuff is written down on paper, other stuff is written down in my head. Regardless, those items are then transferred to a calendar—both real and mental—thus informing me what each day entails. For the most part, I’ve learned to leave tomorrow in tomorrow, even parts of today in their respective parts of today. All that matters come nightfall is that the day’s tasks are done.
This eliminates confusion and keeps a rein on anxiety.
So what does my October to-do list look like?
So far:
– regular Web upkeep like this blog and backlog SEO work
– edits for a client
– finding out the finer details for a job I’m signing papers for tomorrow and then doing the work thereof
– Inktober until the end of the month (daily ink drawings posted to my social media channels)
– Ship off Kickstarter rewards for the Axiom-man/Auroraman: Frozen Storm campaign to Jeff Burton (this includes getting things done at the local printer for the paperback; my part of the lettered edition hardcover is done)
– posting the Gigantigator Death Machine serial novel, behind-the-scenes stuff, and essays to Patreon
– writing and sending out The Canister X Transmission every week
– writing . . . something
– drawing . . . something
– business admin
– anything else that comes up (to be sorted into the list depending on the item’s timeline)
Welcome to my October.
- Tag Archives Drawing
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On One Thing a Day
On One Thing a Day
We don’t always have the same amount of energy every day. Heck, some days it’s impossible to move and get out of bed. Unfortunately, not moving equals not doing anything equals being unable to move your career along. I’ve always maintained that if, at a minimum, you can do at least one thing a day—big or small—to move your career forward, you’re one step ahead of yesterday and one step closer to achieving your goals. You can get some writing or drawing in, or get some marketing done, or drop some books off at the bookstore, or anything else. Point is, just do at least one item a day. That’s at least seven things a week, which leads to 365 things a year.
Now that’s a lot of work.
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On Having a Brick in Your Head
On Having a Brick in Your Head
There are days when your head feels like it’s filled with sand or some sort of concrete lump instead of a brain. It makes you tired and you don’t feel like writing or drawing, and all you want to do is take a nightcap and go to sleep.
But you have to work anyway.
You have to.
Books and art don’t make themselves. You let yourself slide one day, then the next time it becomes two days, then three, then four. Soon, you’ve got nothing to show for your year.
Brick in the head or not, the work needs to get done. No way around it. We live in a society where a lot of people don’t want to work for something. Too bad. Whether you feel like it or not, work is a required part of life and, especially, in the art business where it’s highly competitive.
Do the work.
Lose the brick.
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Going Dormant – Broadcast Mode Reinstated
It’s that time of year again where I withdraw from having an active social media presence and switch over to broadcast mode. This begins today and will carry on throughout the winter, which in Manitoba means at least five or six months.
My plan for the winter season is to release all the manuscripts I’m sitting on–some of which were created last winter broadcast season–and get them into your hands as quickly as possible. The plan also calls for creating new work, whether writing or drawing.
The best way to keep up with me is to watch this blog and sign up for my weekly newsletter, The Canister X Transmission.
To contact me, please use email via the contact page on this site.
I hope everyone has a great winter. Try and stay warm, and to you creators out there, get stuff done. I know I will.
